Dear students,
Hope you are enjoying this last summer week in July. Can’t believe we begin August this Shabbos. We’re happy to have Bluma home, though Chani, Sara, Bassie are still away this Shabbos, and Esther Miriam and Rivka are enjoying camp.
REGARDS FROM ALBANY’S BIG RAINSTORM
Many of you have heard of the big historic rainstorm in Albany this week, the flooding around town (campus, too). BH all is well at Shabbos House, and while we did have a bit of water downstairs at Old Shab, it was much less than expected and BH all is well now. Some of the details are in this Messages from Albany’s Historic Rainfall 2026 post, along with life lessons and messages, of course!
SPECIAL GUESTS THIS SHABBAT 7/30-8/1
This last Shabbat in July we have a range of visiting alumni and students coming for this Shabbos! A graduate of 2000 and her family, an alumni couple from 2012 and 2014 with one of their sons, recent alumni, and also some students. Should be a very nice Shabbos, despite most of our own kids away (aside for Moshe and Bluma). If you’re up here, please join us! Dinner 8pm, Shabbat Lunch 1pm.
THROWBACK TO THE WORLD CUP
We missed sharing this in an email at the time, but Ari L. recommended the Messi-Yamal bathtub picture backstory for us to work on turning into a meaningful Torah message. More than the story and the ideas themselves, we loved the thoughtful recommendation more than anything else! So while it’s a little late now, sharing it here: Messi & Yamal Meet Again in World Cup 2026
TWO SUMMER MEET-UPS COMING UP, NYC & NJ
Look for a weeknight alumni meetup on Wednesday August 12th in Midtown Manhattan at the offices of 5WPR (7th Ave and W36th St), and another alumni meetup in Morristown NJ at the home of the Hendels on Sunday August 16th 11:30am-1:30pm. Please use this form if interested in any of these meetups.
WELCOME PACKAGES GOING OUT…
We’re hoping to send out Welcome Packages to incoming freshmen students in the first week of August. If you know of incoming students, freshmen or transfers, please let us know so we can include them.
FIRST PLANNING MEETING
This week the Shabbos House L’Chaim Board had our first planning meeting looking at the first few weeks of the semester. Rosh Hashanah comes in so soon! Stay tuned for Welcome Weekend, the Welcome Event, the Goodyear Fair, our Giveaway at Block Party and much more!
CLASS AND STUDY IDEAS?
We’re working on our Torah-Tuesday line up of classes, and other classes as well. Are there texts, ideas or subjects you’d like to study? Questions or issues you’d like to explore? Please let us know!
EDUCATOR CONFERENCES
This past week Mendel attended a 2-day Mens Educators Conference in Stamford CT. This coming week, Raizy heads off on Tues-Wed to an even larger Womens Educators Conference, in the same Stanford CT hotel. And Mendel will be at a Chabad on Campus study retreat in Ithaca (are people now into the Odyssey?) on August 10-11. There’s always more to learn!
